New hits from old myths

Publishers and agents receive novels retelling ancient myths by almost every post. As a rule, the manuscripts go straight on to the reject pile. But Canongate has actually put together a series of the things by big-name or up-and- coming international talent. At least now they have the perfect response for all the no-hopers: “Sorry, we’ve only just done that one.”

Victor Pelevin, a Russian with an emergent reputation in Britain and America, has turned in an internet version of the Minotaur legend. David Maine, an American living in Pakistan, tells the story of Cain and Abel. His book is not technically part of the series, perhaps because it does not adopt a modern setting.

Pelevin’s eight characters are stuck in a chatroom. They don’t know how they got there.